1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a heddle used, for example, in a hand-weaving loom for lifting or lowering a plurality of warps for forming a shuttle passage between the warps. The present invention also relates to a loom provided with such a heddle.
2. Description of the Related Art
A loom provided with a heddle is conventionally used for hand-weaving a fabric for example. FIG. 17 illustrates an example of prior-art heddle for moving a plurality of warps W (Wa, Wb). The illustrated heddle H1, which is of a lifting type, includes an elongate frame 90 and a plurality of guide bars 91. The guide bars 91 are attached to the frame 90 as arranged longitudinally of the frame 90 with a clearance 92 provided between two adjacent guide bars 91. Each of the guide bars 91 is formed with a guide hole 93. Each of the warps W (Wa, Wb) is guided into a respective one of the clearances 92 or the guide holes 93. The clearances 92 are greater in length than the guide holes 93. Therefore, when the heddle H1 is lifted as shown in FIG. 18, the warps Wa guided into the holes 93 are lifted higher than the warps Wb guided in the clearances 92, thereby forming a shuttle passage 94 for introducing a shuttle 94. Though not illustrated, when the heddle H1 is lowered, the warps Wa are made lower than the warps Wb.
FIG. 19 illustrates another example of prior art heddle. The illustrated heddle H2, which is of a rotatable type, is formed with plural kinds of grooves 95A, 95B, 95C, 95D for guiding a plurality of warps W (Wc, Wd). The grooves 95A and the grooves 95B are alternately arranged on one longitudinal edge of the heddle H1, whereas the grooves 95C and the grooves 95D are alternately arranged on the other longitudinal edge of the heddle H1. Specifically, the grooves 95A, 95B are arranged in facing relationship to the grooves 95C, 95D, respectively. Note that the grooves 95A are deeper than the grooves 95B, whereas the grooves 95D are deeper than the grooves 95C.
With this structure, each of the warps W (Wc, Wd) is initially guided into a respective one of the grooves 95A or 95B. In this state, the warps Wd received in the grooves 95B are located higher than the warps Wc received in the grooves 95A. However, when the heddle H2 is rotated as shown in FIG. 20, the warps Wc in the grooves 95A enter the grooves 95C, whereas the warps Wd in the grooves 95B enter the grooves 95D. In this state, conversely to the initial state, the warps Wc are located higher than the warps Wd. By lifting or lowering each of the warps W in this way, a shuttle passage is defined.
However, the above-described prior art heddles have the following drawbacks.
First, in the heddle H1 shown in FIG. 17, the warps W (Wa, Wb) need be introduced from the tip ends thereof into the guide holes 93 or the clearances 92. However, since the guide holes 93 or the clearances 92 are relatively small or narrow, there is some difficulty in introducing the warps into the holes 93 or the clearances 92 from the tip ends. Further, for easier insertion of the warps into the guide holes 93 or the clearances 92, each of the warps W need be cut, in advance, so as to have a tip end suitable for insertion, which is troublesome and inconvenient. Moreover, the user needs to move the heddle H1 between three levels of height including the middle state shown in FIG. 17, the lifted state, and the lowered state, which is troublesome. Furthermore, the height difference h between the higher warp and the lower warp upon lifting the heddle H1 (See FIG. 18) cannot exceed the lifting amount of the heddle H1. Therefore, improvement is necessary for widening the shuttle passage 94. The above-described maximum height difference h corresponds to one half of the length of the clearances 92. Therefore, for widening the shuttle passage 94, the length of each clearance 92 need be increased, which leads to undesirable increase in size and weight of the entire heddle H1.
On the other hand, in the heddle H2 shown in FIG. 19, each of the grooves 95A-95D is open to the outside. Therefore, as compared with the above-described heddle H1, the insertion of the warps is easier. Further, since the warps W can be lifted and lowered just by rotating the heddle H2, the operation efficiency of the heddle H2 is higher than that of the heddle H1. However, since the grooves 95A-95D are open to the outside, there is a possibility that the warps W come off from the grooves 95A-95D upon rotating the heddle H2. In particular, since the grooves 95B, 95C are made shallow, the warps are more likely to come off from the grooves 95B, 95C. Moreover, in the heddle H2, the height difference of the warps W cannot exceed the difference of depth between the grooves 95A and 95B or between the grooves 95C and 95D. Therefore, similarly to the above-described heddle H1, it is difficult to widen the shuttle passage.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a heddle which allows easy setting, lifting and lowering of warps while making it possible to form a wide shuttle passage without increasing the size of the heddle itself.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a loom incorporating such a heddle.
In accordance with a first aspect of the present invention, a heddle comprises a plurality of passages spaced from each other in a first direction for guiding warps, respectively, a first retainer provided in each of selected ones of the passages for retaining a corresponding warp, and a second retainer provided in each of the other passages for retaining a corresponding warp. The first retainer and the second retainer are spaced from each other in a second direction transverse to the first direction for lifting one of the first retainer and the second retainer while lowering the other of the first retainer and the second retainer when the heddle is pivoted about an axis extending in the first direction.
Preferably, the first retainer and the second retainer may be arranged alternately with each other.
Preferably, each of the guide passages may be defined between a first surface and a second surface, and each of the first retainer and the second retainer may include an upper projection extending between the first surface and the second surface, and a lower projection extending between the first surface and the second surface. In this case, the upper projection and the lower projection define a warp retaining space which is accessible from the guide passage via a clearance.
The upper projection may preferably have an inclined surface for slidably guiding the warp toward the warp retaining space. The upper projection may projects from one of the first surface and the second surface toward the other of the first surface and the second surface, whereas said other of the first surface and the second surface may be provided with a cutout for loosely receiving the upper projection. Further, the lower projection may project from one of the first surface and the second surface into contact with the other of the first surface and the second surface.
According to a preferred embodiment, each of the guide passages is defined between a first guide plate and a second guide plate, and each of the first retainer and the second retainer includes an upper projection extending between the first guide plate and the second guide plate, and a lower projection extending between the first guide plate and the second guide plate. Further, the upper projection and the lower projection define a warp retaining space which is accessible from the guide passage via a clearance.
Preferably, the upper projection has an inclined surface for slidably guiding the warp toward the warp retaining space.
Preferably, the upper projection may project from one of the first guide plate and the second guide plate toward the other of the first guide plate and the second guide plate, whereas said other of the first guide plate and the second guide plate may be provided with a cutout for loosely receiving the upper projection.
The cutout may preferably comprise a hole formed in said other of the first guide plate and the second guide plate for loosely receiving the upper projection.
Preferably, the lower projection projects from one of the first guide plate and the second guide plate into contact with the other of the first guide plate and the second guide plate. In this case, the cutout may comprise a hole formed in said other of the first guide plate and the second guide plate for snuggly receiving the lower projection.
Preferably, each of first guide plate and the second guide plate includes a top edge, a first lateral edge extending downwardly from the top edge, and a second lateral edge extending downwardly from the top edge and spaced from the first lateral edge in the second direction. In this case, the first retainer may be located adjacent the top edge and the first lateral edge while the second retainer may be located adjacent the top edge and the second lateral edge.
Preferably, each of first guide plate and the second guide plate may further include a rounded bottom edge about which the heddle is pivotable.
According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a heddle comprising a plurality of passages spaced from each other in a first direction for guiding warps, respectively, and a retainer provided in each of the passages for retaining a corresponding warp. Each of the guide passages is defined between a first surface and a second surface. The retainer includes an upper projection extending between the first surface and the second surface, and a lower projection extending between the first surface and the second surface. The upper projection and the lower projection define a warp retaining space which is accessible from the guide passage via a clearance.
According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided a loom which comprises a frame, and a heddle supported on the frame. The heddle comprises a plurality of passages spaced from each other in a first direction for guiding warps, respectively, a first retainer provided in each of selected ones of the passages for retaining a corresponding warp, and a second retainer provided in each of the other passages for retaining a corresponding warp. The first retainer and the second retainer are spaced from each other in a second direction transverse to the first direction for lifting one of the first retainer and the second retainer while lowering the other of the first retainer and the second retainer when the heddle is pivoted about an axis extending in the first direction.
The loom may further comprise a warp winder mounted on the frame, and a fabric winder spaced from the warp winder in the second direction. The loom may additionally comprise a heddle supporting member for supporting the heddle between the warp winder and the fabric winder with the first retainer and the second retainer kept generally equal in height.
Preferably, the heddle may be movable in the second direction toward and away the fabric winder.
In a preferred embodiment, the loom further comprises a rail or rails for coming into contact with a bottom portion of the heddle for guiding the heddle in the second direction.
Preferably, the frame maybe provided with engaging means for engaging the heddle to prevent the heddle from moving in the second direction when the heddle is pivoted.
The loom may further comprise a clamp for clamping the warps from above and below to generate resistance when the warps are pulled toward the fabric winder.